


the path not taken

by allp_wips



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-03
Updated: 2019-05-03
Packaged: 2020-07-08 06:48:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19865275
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allp_wips/pseuds/allp_wips
Summary: A visit to another Earth shows Alex and Astra a different path that their relationship could have taken, and it changes things between them.





	the path not taken

"Astra."

No response.

"Astra!"

A few repeated shouts of this, and still no response.

"Astra!!!" Alex bangs on the door of the apartment again, sure that any moment now, she's going to have the cops called on her by the neighbours. "I know you're in there, so open up!"

Still no response.

"I _will_ break in the door!"

Alex is taking a few steps back and bouncing on the balls of her feet, getting ready to do just that, when the door is yanked open, and Astra's face pokes out, a ferocious glare on it.

"Alex."

"Do you know how long I've been standing out here?" Alex demands. "Let me in."

"No. I happen to be occupied."

"I know you're not," Alex says. She would shove past her, but trying to shove a Kryptonian is an even worse idea than her previous one of breaking down a solid wood door. "Astra, please, let's talk about this."

Astra's face remains stony, and she doesn't budge an inch. "There is nothing to talk about."

"Yes, there is," Alex hisses. "If there wasn't. you'd actually have shown up for our regular sparring session at the DEO today."

"I was feeling unwell."

"You're Kryptonian!"

"It seems that didn't manage to stop you from killing me," Astra snaps. "On Earth-34."

Alex sighs, and sags back against the wall of the other side of the hallway.

"That's unfair," she says quietly. "On the other hand, I'm glad you've at least finally broached the subject."

"There's nothing to broach," Astra says. Her voice is cold.

"That wasn't me," Alex says. "Astra, that a totally different person. I would never kill you. You know that."

Finally, Astra's expression caves, giving away to something that looks like grief. It makes Alex's heart wrench painfully.

"That Alex talked about me like an animal she had to put down."

"It wasn't me," Alex whispers, daring to move forward.

She finally makes it in through the door, and takes Astra in her arms, relishing the softness of warm skin against her own, and a beating heart tucked against her face.

"I know we bicker all the time, and half the DEO thinks we hate each other, but _you_ know I don't."

Astra's reply is a shaky, silent laugh. "I know."

"I don't know what happened on that earth," Alex says, frowning. "But, we're not them, and we never have to be. I would ever even think of killing you."

"I would never try to kill you either, Alex. You mean too much to me."

"I know," Alex murmurs, the words muffled against Astra's chest and neck. "We may have started out as enemies, but we've had three years to move past that, Astra. I'd trust you with my life, and more."

And she has, in the many missions they've undertaken, since Astra had crossed over and handed herself in to the DEO. Many times they've saved each others' lives, and gone from simply two people who had been connected to Kara, to two people whose faith and affection for each other are implicit. 

Until they'd gone with Kara to help out in a multiverse crisis, and found themselves on an Earth where Alex had stabbed Astra through the heart, before Astra had made the choice to give up Myriad.

"You haven't talked to me since we came back," Alex says, and her voice hitches despite her best efforts to control herself. "It's been _weeks_ , Astra. I'd rather go without breathing."

Astra makes a pained noise, and her arms wrap tighter around Alex, until the grip is almost painful. Somehow, it's reassuring. 

"I'm sorry," Astra says. "I know that she was not... you."

Alex sniffles. "Damn right she wasn't. I'd have at least given you a fair fight."

Astra snorts. "No, you would not."

Alex chuckles, her eyes still watering. "No, I wouldn't."

"You take every opportunity to cheat in our sparring sessions."

"Only because you're too fast."

"Alex?"

"Yes?"

Astra steps back from the embrace, so that they're staring at each other again.

"The reason it hurt so much to find out what happened on that Earth," Astra starts, and her voice is serious again. "Was that it made me doubt what I thought _you_ felt for me. If that Alex had cut me down like I meant nothing, I thought that you too-"

"Don't," Alex says, and she's tearing up again. "I would never- I can't even stomach such a thought anymore, Astra. I've had nightmares about it, ever since we came back."

"I know." Astra looks down. "I was being unfair to you, and to me, and to how far we've come. I know that now."

She steps forward to curl her hands around Alex's waist, and lays a feathersoft kiss on Alex's forehead.

"Mmm," Alex murmurs, closing her eyes. "Not where I wanted that mouth to land."

Astra chuckles.

"You know," she begins, in a low voice, as her fingers run patterns down the small of Alex's back, "If you're having nightmares, sometimes sleeping next to someone helps."

"Oh?" Alex pulls back, and looks up at Astra. "And who would that someone be, General In-Ze?"

Astra's eyes glitter.

"I dare say you can find a dozen volunteers easily, Director Danvers," she says, before her expression gets forbidding. "But, they'll have to get past me."

Alex smirks. "You know, there are less roundabout ways to ask to sleep with me."

There's relief in Astra's eyes, replacing the mask of confidence that had been there a moment ago. 

"I should have asked you a long time ago," she says. "Not simply that, but... everything else, too."

"I could have, too," Alex says, with a sigh. "At least this gave us a push forward."

In a way, though, she rather likes the slow and meandering path that she and Astra have taken to... this. It might have been slow, the growth of Alex's feelings for her, but it also feels sure, like mountains. Something lasting, and strong, and unbreakable.

Astra hums in agreement. With no effort, she lifts Alex up by the waist, so that their faces are a hair's breadth from each other. This time, her mouth lands exactly where Alex wants it to land, and they kiss for what seems like ages, revelling in the conclusion of something that's been building up for years.

When they draw back, Alex has only one thing to say.

"Fair warning, though: if you ever shut me out for weeks like that again, I _will_ stab you."

"That is understandable."

\---


End file.
